New Delhi: Veteran
social activist Anna Hazare is on a fast-unto-death at the Jantar
Mantar here to press the government to involve the civil society in
drafting the anti-graft Lokpal Bill. The activists have come up with
an alternative bill which aims to give more teeth to the proposed
legislation. Here is the comparison between the two versions.

1. Government view: The Lokpal has been proposed to be an advisory
body which after enquiry in any case will forward its report to the
competent authority for further action.

Activists' view: The Lokpal will have the powers to initiate
prosecution against anyone after completion of investigations in any
case. It will also have powers to order disciplinary proceedings
against any government servant.

2. Government view: The Lokpal will not have any power to either
initiate action suo motu in any case or even receive complaints of
corruption from general public. The complaints can be made to the
speaker of the Lok Sabha or the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. Only
those complaints forwarded by them to the Lokpal will be
investigated.

Activists' view: The Lokpal will have powers to initiate
investigations suo moto in any case and also to directly get
complaints from the public.

3. Government view: The Lokpal has not been given police powers.
Therefore, it cannot register a first information report (FIR).

Activists' view: The Lokpal will have police powers. It will be able
to register FIRs, proceed with criminal investigations and launch
prosecution.

4. Government view: The bill is unclear on the CBI's role.

Activists' view: The CBI's department that deals with cases of
corruption, will be merged into Lokpal so that there is one
effective and independent body against corruption.

5. Government view: If any complaint is found to be false and
frivolous, the Lokpal will have the power to send the complainant to
jail.

Activists' view: Deterrence has been provided against frivolous
complaints in the form of financial penalties against the
complainant.

6. Government version: The Lokpal will have jurisdiction only on
MPs, ministers and the prime minister. It will not have jurisdiction
over officers.

Activists' view: The Lokpal will have jurisdiction over politicians,
officials and judges. The Central Vigilance Ccommission and the
entire vigilance machinery of the government will be merged into the
Lokpal.

7. Government view: The Lokpal will not have powers to investigate
any case against the prime miister, on deals in foreign affairs,
security and defence.

Activists' view: There is no such bar on the Lokpal's powers.

8. Government view: Punishment for corruption is a minimum six
months and the maximum seven years, as it exists at present.

Activists' view: The punishment would be a minimum of five years and
the maximum of life imprisonment.

It was
literally a load of cash - Rs.5.11 crore neatly stacked and covered
with a tarpaulin sheet - that was seized from the roof-top of a
parked bus in Tiruchirapalli district Tuesday. Ahead of the Tamil
Nadu
»

Fatima Nat Dhuniya was all of 9 years when she was "married off" and then
landed in the world of sex trade. More than a decade later, she
stands confident as a community mobiliser and said that the laws
in the country should change so
»

Ireland captain
William Porterfield Tuesday lashed out at the International Cricket
Council (ICC) for limiting the 2015 World Cup to 10 full-member
teams, terming this an "absolute joke". Ireland, an associate member of the
ICC
»

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